


Chemical Attraction

by Severus_Snape_Mods



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Het, Implied Sexual Content, Severus Snape Fest 2016, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 10:24:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5824909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severus_Snape_Mods/pseuds/Severus_Snape_Mods
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snape lives AU, in 8th year, Hermione decides she wants to become a potions mistress and takes on an extra internship with Snape; attraction ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chemical Attraction

Chemical Attraction

Time seemed to freeze, a suspended point which stretched out for what appeared an endless moment and yet equally was but a mere fraction of time. The moment ebony stared fully into chestnut brown, holding the gaze and defying everything else that was real. This was the turn of events. This was the point of no return. Hermione, overwhelmed at the reality of what she had done stepped back warily as the dark clad figure of Severus Snape strode towards her, reducing her to prey at the mercy of her hunter. Those dark eyes that had entranced her so much in the last few weeks now held an unleashed intensity, and something even deeper that she could not fathom within them. Her back hit the wall with a thud, the shock jolted at her body as an animalistic tingle spread through her body like a fire. There was nowhere to move, nowhere to retreat, he was closing in and she must now face the very consequences of whatever she had begun. The question was… would the strength, the daring and the desire that had coursed through her up until this moment remain with her now? Would it meet whatever she had unleashed and soar with it, or would she be consumed?

With nowhere to go, Hermione could do nothing but wait. Her eyes closed as a moment of vulnerability led her to doubt herself. When she felt Severus’ hands take hold of the tops of her arms with gentle firmness she expected to be shaken to sense and receive the angered accusations that would fall from his lips. Except to her surprise and continued exhilaration, nothing was spoken between them. Instead she only felt his hands move slowly from the tops of her arms, the lean fingers tracing from her elbow and stopping at her wrist. This was not a fierce or painful grip. Instead his ring and middle finger grazed the back of her wrist, whilst his thumb rested against her pulse point betraying the thunderous race of her heart. She could have slipped from his grip in a moment for this was no dominant seizing of her person and yet its gentleness held more power to keep her as she was than any strength could muster. It rooted her to the spot and her eyes opened and she dared to look at him again. Instinctively, Hermione submitted and pinned her own wrists against the wall. There was no aggression, anger nor dominance in the dark recesses of his eyes, if anything there seemed to be curiosity and wonder within them. Leaning his face close to hers, his cheek brushing against her own she heard his low, deep voice say with soft insistence.

“Stop trying to control everything.”

His words relinquished her choice in an instant and she allowed her wrists to drop loosely by her sides again, his fingers still pressing gently against her active pulse. In that moment, Hermione realised that whatever was about to happen between them, Severus had taken hold of her as an equal, she was no longer a mere student to his professor. Her actions might have brought them to this point, but it was their actions that would determine what happened next.  
…….

Hermione emerged from the dungeons a perspiring ball of frustration; her hair had taken on a new level of volume where she believed she no longer had possession over it. She was hot, she was bothered and she was filthy. She was unsure whether a cold shower or a hot one would do better at taming the raging beast that rampaged through her mind, her heart and let’s be honest her ovaries. What did she have to do to become noticed? Paint herself blue? Cast a spell so strong that it would throw the person in question not only into the next room (again), but the next galaxy or… just kill him?! At eighteen she had lost her girlish ideals of school crushes on those in positions of authority and instead found herself in the full throws of feeling an intense attraction to a man she saw as her equal. No one would understand it, for no one else she guaranteed looked at Professor Snape in the same way that she did. No one saw the genius, the dexterity and the man that she had worked side by side with for nigh on three months as an apprentice potions mistress. She was successful in every challenge levelled at her, excelling above others as usual and yet this seemed to put her in no higher regard to the professor as what he felt for Filch. It was frustrating, really frustrating.

Stomping into the common room, Hermione avoided the small groups dotted about and threw herself into a solitary chair by the fire. Her brain churned in overdrive and her body responded in kind. Looking about quickly she saw no one registered her presence and that was just what she wanted and yet she didn’t. It was at times like this when she felt really alone, Harry and Ron had moved on and everyone else was too young in maturity to appreciate her struggles or be worthy of her confidence. Instead she would have to suffer alone, but best to do that at least for a little while in the company of other students rather than the seclusion of her own room.

Just then a gaggle of giggling nonsense travelled across the air and landed in Hermione’s ears.

“I told Tabitha she was never gonna get him like that. When I was after Jerome Twitgarth I didn’t wear anything but Wanton Witch for a week. Drove him mad it did, he was practically parked at my neck for four days.”

“You what Stacey?” Cried another nonsensical sounding sixth year. “He didn’t did he?”

“All that from a smell?” Another nasal voice added, one that Hermione recognised as Juniper Joybright, a fifth year who spoke like she was actually thirty years old.

“Yeah.” Stacey acknowledged. “Anybody who thinks they have to get their tits out to get a man has clearly never tried Wanton Witch.”

“Is it a type of love spell?” Juniper asked.

“No, it’s from the house of Celestina Warbeck innit.”

The small group of girls hummed in wondrous agreement at Stacey as though she were a wise sage preaching on a hill somewhere. Hermione rolled her eyes at this nonsense; she had tried wearing Wanton Witch once and had showered by midday having not being able to bear the fragrance herself. She almost wanted to go over to the horde of hormonally driven girly girls and put them right on a few things, however she had no wisdom to impart it seemed based on today’s failed attempts.

Instead amid the further annoyance at the rubbish being spoken near her, an idea began to bubble in her mind like a cauldron of hot, strong love. The girls might be talking rubbish but they had inspired her. But this idea was moving her away from magical properties into the realms of muggle science. Being the studious little know it all that she was, she never forget a thing and she recalled her lessons from muggle school as if it were yesterday. A word, sharp and clear stood out and it began to form a scheme in her mind, one so intuitive and dastardly that she doubted Severus could contend with it. A scheme he would not even know was taking hold of him for it was a matter of biology, not magic, the former an area she sensed he had less experience in than the latter. One little word could turn the tide in her favour.

_Pheromones._

Hermione dashed back to her room in an instant and opened her laptop. A little bit of research online led her to the property Estratetaenol, and though experimental she had the idea that combined with a mixture of her own scent and Severus’ she could make a compound of attraction more reliant than a love potion. The compound would require a carrier of course and this would be where the properties of just a love potion would prove beneficial. This was a plan. The idea seemed feasible in theory, but even if she managed to concoct such a thing there was the administering of it. Slipping such a thing into a drink of Severus’ would likely find her caught out with some serious explaining to do; he was too clever to be so easily duped. A tremor of doubt hit her hard, is this what she wanted, to dupe him into being attracted to her? No. What she wanted from him truly frightened her, yet she desired it more than life itself. This wasn’t just a biological response though, working side by side with him had led her to become genuinely in love with the man. All she needed now was something that would tip the balance in her favour enough to get her noticed by him, the rest she could do herself.

A quick owl order from a local adult store provided her with the necessary pheromone spray as well as a basic candle making kit from a craft retailer. The latter’s product would allow the concoction to be administered without suspicion, for in Hogwarts what was more normal than a candle burning? The main area of difficulty would be obtaining an element of scent from Severus himself. It would take particularly humid conditions to obtain perspiration from Severus for the man was wrapped in that many layers few would believe he sweated at all.

Finding herself in her lessons the next day armed with her usual necessities for study as well as a packet of tissues, Hermione took a moment to quietly cast a spell.

“Augmentum temperatus.”

Bracing herself for the discomfort that would follow, she consoled herself that whilst she would boil alive and look a shiny mess, she had put her hair in a bun to try and save some face. That and the end result would make it all worth it… she hoped. At first she barely registered anything, but as Severus continued his explanations of the Equilibrium potion, she felt the room start to get stuffy and close. Her palms became clammy, her clothes constrictive and she was certain that if she was feeling it, then Severus certainly must be. Yet the Potions Master looked the epitome of composure and focus as ever, it must have been all those years spent around cauldrons had led him to develop immunity. But Hermione never defeatist had a backup and upon being given their next exercise she took out her wand and slyly uttered.

“Vertere temperatus.”

There was a price, she was thirsty, she was perspiring and she could not concentrate. When Severus came to inspect her work with the Equilibrium potion, she had made little progress and her sweat riddled palms had her dropping her instruments.

“Some focus, Miss Granger.” Severus said cuttingly, the irritation in his voice both mortifying and encouraging for it displayed his discomfort.

“It’s got very warm, Professor.”

“You must focus your mind Miss Granger, outward circumstances should never impede on a potion.”

Looking at his brow Hermione saw a few beads of sweat forming on his temples, she took the opportunity and pulled the packet of tissues from her pocket and offered him one.

“What do you expect me to do with that?” He asked abruptly, his expression contorted with scorn.

“I just…” Hermione took another out and dabbed her own temples, hoping to lead by example. “I always have them for when things get…”

“I have no doubt such things are useful for when you watch sad romantic dramas Granger, but to me they are useless. Now let’s have a look at this spell…”

Severus leaned over and glanced at Hermione’s failing potion and she accepted that in this instance she had failed in her prime objective too. The steam from the lacklustre concoction rose and wafted in Severus’ face, this indicated enough to make the Potions Master frown and he sighed derisively. As he pulled back however a droplet of perspiration slid from his hairline and fell onto the desk. Luck turned to Hermione’s favour and despite the harsh look the Professor had given her before he moved away, her stomach flipped in triumph. Severus went to another pupil, Hermione meanwhile moved like lightening to dab the droplet with a tissue. She had what she needed, the plan had begun.

……….

Hermione said nothing; there was no reply she could comprehend at this moment. All she could feel was how her body revelled at the feel of his holding her wrists and what effect his words had upon it. As the silence extended between their held gaze, Severus spoke again.

“On the other hand I do feel you have attempted to control something in this room. I must inform you however that it has not quite had the desired effect.”

Hermione swallowed hard, her voice daring to reply at last.

“Current circumstances would suggest otherwise.”

An expression quickly swept across Severus’ face, was it almost a smile she wondered, it certainly had a ruefulness to it. His thumbs massaged her pulse point gently and tugging her a little from the wall he walked her back into the centre of the room. There he looked down at her wrists, still stroking them gently until at last he continued.

“I was intending to stay quiet until you had officially finished at Hogwarts.”

“Pardon?” She blurted out.

“A brief lesson Hermione, having an extensive knowledge of magic, biology and even people does not mean that one always needs to force an issue immediately. Clearly an understanding of time might be a beneficial course of study for you… However we are rather past that now.”

Hermione could only utter an unintelligible noise for in truth she was both transfixed and confused by his words. Severus slid his hands to interlace her fingers with his own, the meaning becoming clearer and suddenly Hermione found herself laughing.

“I outdo myself sometimes.”

“It was an interesting scheme, attempting to seduce me with a candle.” He explained. “For future reference Patchouli is not as effective as sandalwood for masquerading a magical compound. Though I will give you credit for not purely trying to slip me a modified Weasley love potion.”

“I should have stuck to Wanton Witch.” She laughed further and after a moment, Severus joined her in a low chuckle.

“Hideous stuff.”

“So… despite my… blunder… what do you mean you were keeping quiet?”

For a second she saw Severus contemplate how to word his answer and her heart sank when he dropped her hands and she felt the loss of contact keenly. Her eyes stared at his in panic but she didn’t fathom what would occur next. Those hands now free of her own seized her waist and pulling her to him, moved his lips to hers. Thankful that he had hold of her waist, Hermione could relish fully in the kiss for a newer, white hot fire expanded through her body as the realisation of the kiss washed over her. Instinctively Hermione’s hands laced around Severus’ neck and enabled her to now stand on tiptoe and be anchored definitely. There was from here only the fall and in the safety of the dungeons, they could freefall unrestrained.

Once the two had found it in each other to voice their animalistic desires, the inner secrets that both had held so close to their guarded chests could be an outer secret that the two could share. They knew they had to keep their rendezvous’ quiet from the rest of the school due to Hermione’s student status. Snatched moments in the potions classrooms after lessons, quick gropes behind tapestries led to the frustration of the two, most especially Hermione who being younger and pumped full of female hormones had little restraint in comparison to her elder master.

Severus often had to chastise his young pariah and remind her of their surroundings when she had attempted to dig her hands under his robes one too many times. The pair came to an understanding however that for the sake of propriety and respect for each other, the time to fully be together must arise once Hermione had finished her exams. At first this was an acute struggle, yet this lulled into a permanent intense sense of anticipation which underscored their times together. When appropriate they walked together, shared meals and even enjoyed the silence of contented time spent studying together. It was difficult but fused their desire from attraction to a durable bond that could honestly be given the name love.

At Hermione’s final exam, she sat feeling herself complete in the knowledge of both her academic studies and the possibilities of her own happiness. Severus had helped her achieve both and upon leaving the exam hall she dashed to him beaming with a sense of success. Whatever else he had given her, his tutelage had enabled her to blossom into a confident, capable witch of extreme skill, his equal in every way.


End file.
